Alþjóðaviðskiptastofnunin - WTO: Samningaviðræður um landbúnað. Committee on Agriculture - Special Session - 24-28 February 2003 Statement by Iceland on Domestic Support
Committee on Agriculture
Special Session
24-28 February 2003
Statement by Iceland on Domestic Support
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
On domestic support, we have great difficulty with both the approach and the scale of the reduction commitments proposed in the draft modalities. We continue to favour an approach consistent with the process we have been engaged in to the present day, i.e. a UR-formula. We also need to see a realistic degree of flexibility in further disciplines to take into account the very different conditions that exist in different Member countries. Due consideration must be given in this respect to non-trade concerns.
With respect to the AMS, we have been reluctant to discuss figures while the degree to which non-trade concerns is to be taken into account remains unclear. If anything along the scale you have proposed is to be considered, we see great merit in the proposal put forward by Norway on distinguishing between support to products for the domestic market and support to products destined for exportation.
We cannot go along with your proposal of capping on a product-specific basis and favour maintenance of the current calculation methodology.
We fail to see the rationale behind the proposed capping of the Blue Box and its inclusion in the AMS for reasons other Delegations have already commented on.
We cannot go along with the tightening of Green Box criteria as an avenue to accommodate some very important non-trade concerns. We are particularly disappointed to see the proposed restrictions with respect to environmental programmes. There are positive elements on Green Box widening in attachment 7 and 8 that can be worked with, but further elaboration is necessary if we are to be able to move forward here.
Finally, we would like to echo the comments made by the Delegation of Norway with respect to inflation, and the need to take its possible effects on commitment levels into full consideration.